MANILA (Agencies): The armed forces of the Philippines, United States and Japan on Friday conducted a "maritime cooperative activity" within the Manila's exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said.
The exercises aim to strengthen the interoperability of defence tactics, techniques, and procedures, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.
The activity came two days after the latest maritime run-in between the Philippines and China at Scarborough Shoal, a disputed atoll in the South China Sea.
"This builds upon previous MCAs and our continuing operations together, which strengthen the interoperability of our defense/armed forces doctrines, tactics, techniques, and procedures,” the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.
The exercise also comes days after the Philippines said its vessels were subjected to "aggressive actions” by Chinese ships, which rammed and deployed water cannon on government vessels in contested waters.
"The US, along with our allies and partners, uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well as respect to the maritime rights under international law,” the statement said. - Agencies
